Rather like vegetables. So many of our garden plants come from overseas. I often spend time on Google looking up the etymology of our plants and vegetables.
West Cork seaside gardens often have griselina (New Zealand Privet) Hebes and Phormiums or flax. All of which originate down under in Australia and New Zealand.
I have several Phormiums growing in my gardens. Every year I always divide some and make new plants and give them an haircut so they don't need lots of watering after being cut back.
Usually I divide and cut back my Phormiums in April but it was too wet this year so I waited until Bank Holiday Monday and made eleven new plants:
New plants all potted up and they will make me 55 Euros when they grow their foliage back. Deferred plant gratification?
My plants are not middle class and sink or swim with their regeneration. Just a drink of water and old Mother Nature's propagation magic!
If you have Phormiums and they are getting tall and ragged looking. Cutting them back hard and dividing them gives you a rejuvenated plant and new plants to sell, swap or give away.
Do you divide your Phormiums or other grasses like Pampas?
We have no phormiums in the garden but looking on google the plant seems very familiar. I think I used to have several pots of them and they flourished even under my hands. I may just look out for them
ReplyDeleteIt's a New Zealand native Linda. Also called Flax. I believe the Maoris made ropes from its leaves. They are very salt resistant so perfect for seaside gardens. I have pineapple coloured ones, green ones and red Phormiums.
ReplyDeleteThere was a huge clump of these at the bottom of the garden when we moved in and they had started to take over. Although P eventually dug them out there are hundreds of babies sprouting up in the veg patch now.
ReplyDeleteGet P to dig them out and pot them up JayCee. Any good carboot sales on the IOM? I have just planted five of them this morning to make a windbreak behind the polytunnel.
ReplyDeleteDo you divide your Phormiums or other grasses like Pampas? No I do not as we do not have these particular plant species in our garden but I have four apple trees so I will try to split them using your method and soon we will have an orchard!
ReplyDeleteI would not think that will work YP. Saving and planting the seeds from your apples would be more successful.
ReplyDeleteIt's too late! I borrowed a JCB to dig up the roots. Now the garden looks as if a tornado just ripped through. You could have mentioned the seeds before Dave!
DeleteNot a Joseph Cyril Bamford machine YP?
ReplyDelete